NGOs say ‘no’ to lethal little packs

PETALING JAYA: There is a proposal for “kiddie” cigarette packs to be sold in Malaysia again. And NGOs that have gotten wind of the proposal are not happy.

Smaller and cheaper packs will only invite more young smokers, they say.

Malaysian Council for Tobacco Control (MCTC) president Dr Molly Cheah said the council made some checks about the proposal and it turned out to be true.

“This is absolutely shocking. Malaysia must never allow this agenda because it will make it cheap for children to use cigarettes,” she said.

The Control of Tobacco Product Regulations (of the Food Act 1983) was introduced in 2004 but it was two years later that the Health Ministry told cigarette companies to take packs of seven and 10 sticks off the shelves.

The 14-stick pack was removed in 2010.

“Legislation prohibits the sale of small pack cigarettes – manufacturers are not allowed to sell cigarettes in packets of fewer than 20 sticks – and the prohibition is consistent with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), which Malaysia is a party to,” said Dr Cheah.

“We want to know which ministry is proposing the agenda and for what purpose,” she said, adding that the Government should not back-pedal on its policy.

If the proposal was to bring in more revenue as a way to counter illicit cigarettes, she said there was no evidence to show it would work.

“Is revenue more important than the health of citizens, especially the young?” she said, adding that smaller packs would attract youngsters and women.

In fact, Dr Cheah said evidence showed that when cigarettes were expensive, consumption would come down.

“If illicit cigarette use is a problem, the authorities must find evidence to address it. You have to look at illicit cigarettes like you do illicit drugs,” she said.

According to sources, the tobacco industry was pushing for the kiddie pack to be reintroduced.